References made to FIG. 1 depicting a typical lavatory 10 employing a pop-up linkage 1 for mechanically blocking drain 2 to the passage of water. Although lavatory 10 is shown in cross-section as a typical sink installation, pop-up linkage 1 has been employed in virtually any plumbing installation in which selective blockage of wastewater through a drain is desired.
In installing pop-up linkage 1 in conjunction with lavatory 10, drain liner 11 and down pipe 12 are applied as two separate pieces. Drain liner 11 is applied from within the sidewalls of lavatory 10, while down pipe 12 engages drain 2 from below the lavatory. This requires the use of joint compound to make the appropriate attachment on site while maintaining the watertight integrity at drain 2. As noted, down pipe 12 is provided with protrusion 16, the need for of which will be more fully described below, preventing down pipe 12 from being inserted through drain 2 as a single piece with drain liner 11.
In continuing reference to FIG. 1, the prior art pop-up linkage 1 is provided with a pop-up stopper within down pipe 12 (not shown) which is movable vertically within down pipe 12 by raising and lowering stem 9. As noted, stem 9 is adjustably connected to perforated rod 18 through loosening or tightening of wing nut 8. Further, the arc of motion created in connecting rod 17 can further be adjusted by inserting connecting rod 17 into various openings 19 contained within perforated rod 18. In use, as stem 9 is raised or lowered vertically, connecting rod 17 is moved along a short arc of travel as a result of its capture within one of the openings 19 of perforated rod 18. This, in turn, causes a stopper contained within down pipe 12 to move vertically up or down as a distal end of connecting rod 17 connects to the body of the stopper through protrusion 16.
There are a number of deficiencies associated with the pop-up linkage of FIG. 1 which the present invention is intended to eliminate. For example, as noted previously, drain liner 11 and down pipe 12 must be applied to lavatory 10 in two pieces requiring an on site assembly with pipe joint compound to maintain a watertight connection. Further, down pipe 12 is connected to drain liner 11 by screwably engaging these members and by further pulling drain liner 11 tightly within sink opening 12 by threadably applying nut 14 used in conjunction with gasket 15. However, because of the necessity of providing down pipe 12 with protrusion 16, nut 14 cannot be applied from the lower extremity of down pipe 12. In reaching nut 14 once the installation is in place requires plumbing tools such as a channel wrench to tighten nut 14 over threads 13 within down pipe 12 by manipulating tools over and past protrusion 16.
In working under a typical drain, sink or tub installation, free space is not readily available, and it becomes a difficult chore and one lending itself to the intervention of a professional to apply the appropriate pop-up linkage to one's typical lavatory. Furthermore, as virtually any user of a pop-up linkage is aware, after repeated usage, the linkage tends to loosen and, over time, it becomes extremely difficult to actuate a stopper between fully closed and fully opened positions by the mere actuation of stem 9. At a minimum, adjustments seem to be commonly required at least through the repositioning of stem 9 through the use of wing nut 8, requiring below sink intervention which many users are reluctant to carry out. Finally, because connecting rod 17 is mechanically engaged within the body of the stem employed in any pop-up linkage configuration, it is impossible to remove the stopper without disassembly of pop-up linkage 1. This is oftentimes necessary when, for example, hair or other debris finds itself lodged within down pipe 12, the removal of which being required to free the drain for the free passage of wastewater.
There is, thus, an obvious need to improve upon the typical pop-up linkage assemblies of prior art. This and further objects of the present invention will be more readily apparent when considering the following disclosure and dependent claims.